How Entertainment is Impacting Aussie Everyday Lives

New research has revealed that around the world, people’s interests, hobbies, and even their personalities are shaped by the themes and storylines of their favourite fictional universes.

Australians are no longer passive consumers of franchises; they’re stepping inside them and shaping their identities around them. Bethesda commissioned YouGov to undertake an online study reaching over 1,000 adults in Australia who play video games or stream video content to reveal that a huge cultural shift in how entertainment is impacting the everyday lives of Aussies. As Fallout plants itself firmly in the current pop culture conversation, the true impact of what we view on how we define ourselves has been revealed.

A summary of key findings and an accompanying infographic is below:

Real-world Activities & New Friendships: Most of these Aussies (88%) have been inspired to take part in real-world activities because of their fan love or “fandom”. Among them, one in three (33%) have made new friends who also enjoy the universe after watching a TV series such as Fallout, while 31% have been motivated to join online or in-person communities
Shaping Identities:44% of these Aussies claim their fandom has influenced their personal identity
Expanding Horizons: Looking beyond the TV content alone, Aussies surveyed choose to engage with corresponding video games out of curiosity (36%), a desire to experience more stories related to the world (28%) and its characters (28%), and for deeper immersion with the universe (26%

The research shows that fandom has become a meaningful part of how Australians define themselves. 44% of those questioned say their favourite franchises shape who they are, from how they see themselves to the communities and activities they choose to be part of.

Fandom for much loved universes has motivated Aussies questioned to move from passive TV consumption to active participation, with 88% taking part in real world activities. These include reading books or comics (41%), following fan theories online (34%), purchasing merchandise or memorabilia (33%), making new friends (33%), and joining in-person community groups (31%). Some fans go even further: booking holidays inspired by their favourite worlds (18%), recreating meals seen in those universes (17%), or taking part in cosplay (12%).

Younger Australians are particularly inspired. Survey results show that two in five Millennials are most likely to build new friendships (40%), and 37% of Gen Z Aussies are joining online and in-person community groups to further engage with their favourite franchise.

“Franchise fandoms have evolved to the point Aussies want more than just playing a game or watching a TV series” said Jon Rush, Creative Director, Bethesda Game Studios. “The research shows fandom is drawing Aussies back to comics, creating new friendships, and even inspiring unconventional travel plans, to get their fix. The Fallout universe has long championed connection, whether through the dark comedy shared by the TV show’s protagonists or the interactions between online players in Fallout 76.”

Australians are being drawn deeper into fictional worlds by emotion and storytelling rather than by format alone. The research shows that when viewers choose to play a video game after watching related TV content from the same universe, their strongest motivations are curiosity (36%), a desire to explore more stories within that world (28%) and spend more time with its characters (28%), along with a need for deeper immersion (26%). 22% of these Aussies also cite emotional attachment to the characters, highlighting how strongly these stories resonate beyond the screen.

“This new data sheds light on how video games and other real-world activities bring a completely different experience to passively watching a series” said Ron Curry, CEO of IGEA, the industry association for video games in Australia and New Zealand. “Playing as your favourite character from a TV show allows you to connect with them on a deeper level; you see the fictional world through their eyes and get to fully experience the story. In fact, three quarters (75%) of Aussies play games to get lost in a storyline, according to IGEA’s latest Australia Plays Report.

Fans loving Fallout on Amazon Prime can dive even deeper into the universe: meet ‘The Ghoul’ in Fallout 76’s latest update, Burning Springs; uncover the secrets of Area 51 in Fallout 4; or recruit Legendary Vault Dwellers like Lucy MacLean, Maximus, and CX404 in Fallout Shelter. Try Fallout 76 for free and celebrate Season 2 of the Fallout TV show from 28/01-05/02.